Tariq ibn Ziyad
~670–720 · Berber/Arab (Umayyad Caliphate) · Islamic Conquest of Iberia
Known for: Led the Muslim conquest of Spain in 711—Gibraltar ('Jabal Tariq') is named after him
Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Berber commander who led the Muslim conquest of Visigothic Spain in 711, creating Al-Andalus—the Islamic civilization in Iberia that lasted 800 years and became one of the great centers of medieval science and culture. Gibraltar (Jabal Tariq, 'Mountain of Tariq') is named after his landing point.
He reportedly burned his ships after landing, telling his soldiers: 'The sea is behind you and the enemy in front—there is no escape but victory.' He defeated the Visigothic King Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete and rapidly conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula.
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